New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-29
THE G.. A. R. ON PENSIONS.
WHAT THE TRIBUNE CANVASS HAS RE-
VEALED.

sIoN-THE vETOES-GENERAL LEGISLATION
PAUPERs.
From The Weekly Tribune Of september 2s
The Grand Army veterans whose replies to The
TRIBUNE's request for their opinions on the broad
subject Of pension legislation we have been pub
fishing during the last three months are asking Tor
summary of their votes and views. and this seems
to be proper time to respond TO this natural de-
sire. THE TRIBUNE IN its circular sent last spring
to the veterans asked five questions. namely:
Does Your Post favor the passage Of the Dependent
q Does your Post favor general service pension bill
to Union veteransi nso, about what per . month
pension bs granted by Congress. in special cases in
which the applicants able to show good cause, but
are unable to comply with the rules now governing tho
i. what If any. pension legislation does your Post
especially desire from Congress- not referred to aboveI
5. How many worthy veterans do you know Of in your
county being supported by charity In the public
poorhousef
great many more replies have been re-
ceived than The TRIBUNE is allowed to publish.
Owing to orders from National Headquarters biased
misapprehension possibly q large number of
Posts which sent in their votes, afterward sent in
requests that their votes should be withheld from
publication. These replies remain in the possession
of THE TRIBUNE; and although they cannot be
printed yet they constitute when taken with the
letters which have been and are yet to be printed
body Of evidence which shows clearly and de-
cisvely the feeling in the G. A. r. of the United
States IN regard to pensions The natural diversity
of individual sentiment in respect to details pre-
vents mathematical tabulatOn of the replies but
the following general summary presents an accu-
rate and comprehensive digest of the responses to
our circular:
/. DEPENDENT PENSIONS BILL.-This bill was
recommended by the G.. A. r., was passed by both
houses Of Congress last winter, and was vetoed by
the President and then failed of passage over the
veto by about twenty-five votes and it was in
the course OF the debates this bill
and on the veto, and in the veto
itself that the ungenerous language was used by the
opponents Of pensions. winch has given the deepest
and most serious offence to the veterans of the
Union army. The TRIBUNE canvass shows conclu-
nvely that the G. A. X. Posts were almost if
not quito unanimously IN favor at first OF the
Dependent Pensions bill, because the Posts
throughout the country are supporting. wholly
IN part, an Immense number Of invalid and
disabled veterans and their families out OF their
own pockets. and are compelled to endure the NOR
tfcaton of seeing other old comrades In arms actu
ally spen ding their last years in the poor
house. The official records Of the G. A. K.
show that the Posts have contributed more
than 81 sc, 900 during the past year for tho sup
port of comrades. and the unrecorded charities of
individuals arc DblleVeu 10 d1Ouub 10 ~
much moro. The care OF invalid
and recently disabled comrades is
heavy burden on tho Posts. burden that the
defenders of the Union think they ought not to be
forced 10 bear, however generously they may re-
spond to the present necessity. The Posts were.
consequently. ali, nearly all, originally in favor
OF the Dependent Pensions bl but the character
of the veto and the debates has given
deep offence, and now strong minority
OF the Posts are opposed to the original
bill on the ground that man would virtually
have TO degrade himself by admitting that he was
"pauperp before he could get the benefit of the
bill and because II stands in the way OF something
better. new Dependent Pensions bill now called
the Disability bill drawn up so as 10 eliminate
the unpleasant features Of the first bill by the PEN
sions Committee of the G. A. r.; was officially SUBJ
mitted TO the Posts last summer ; has been voted
or by them and the result of that vote is about to
be published. One of the strong objections urged
against any Dependent Pension or Disability bill
is that such bill would stand in the way of Ser
vice Pension bill The veterans of the war. how
ever are all In favor of providing for the dependent
md disabled first before anything else Is done.
2 SERVICE PENsIoNs.-Though very few Posts
have voted against ~, nevertheless tnerc IA an
overwhelming majority in favor OF service pen
SION TO every honoraby discharged soldier. sailor
and scout who served ut least three months. The
Posts differ IN the main simply concerning the
amount of the pension and whether II shall be
given TO all now or when they reach certain age
Mr. Lowering IDem.l, Representative from Mass
achusett., has a bill before Congress giving SS per
month service pension. This bill was at first
deemed satisfactory by the Posts; but as the de-
bate has gone on and the subject of service PEN
sion has been more closely Analysed q sentiment
has sprung up in favor of graded service pension
based length of service; as. for instance, pen
sion equal to 20 cents a month for each month OF
service. whereby fouryears men would get
Sl2 month"; three-years men 70. two-years
men SO none 10 receive less than 81 or. SO, So
Sl2 and S15. for q service of one year and under
two, three and four years; or any other way when
may seem more equitable of grading the pension
according to length OF service. Inc sentiment In
favor of grading the pension is growing, and II Is
10 be noted that there has now sprung out OF the
discussions in The TRIBUHE's columns demand
for an official vote In the g. A. K. on service PEN
sion, which demand ought to be acceded to at once
The reasons given for q service pension are these
1t will sweep away all pottering with pension leg.
isaton the present VS. full of
inequalities and annoyances; the present rules Keep
deserving men waiting from five TO ten years for q
pension and literally thousands Of deserving men
20 TO the poorhouse their graves simply because
their Just claims will not be recognized or cannot
DO legally proved. Under the present rules the
testimony of eyc-witnesses IS required, but after
a lapse of twenty-five years 1t IS almost Impossible
to find the men who fought side by side with one
m the ranks and even when found their memories
cannot always recall the minute details which are
necessary 10 prove o claim. An enormous number
Of claims are thrown out on this account Further
more. army life was injury to all the volunteers.
They went In because their country called and be-
cause orators, the press, and friends urged them.
and because promises were made that they ana
their families would be cared for. They took the
nittance the Government offered, not know
ing that they would ever receive even that, for
the Government was poor under Buchanan mad
been Obliged to borrow money. and the outcome OF
the war was uncertain. and though they could oil
have made from i've to ten times the money at
home in thor old occupations in the era OF nigh
wages and large profits Furthermore the inces-
s.t, M